How to tell your bestfriend you've fallen for them
by OMDP92
Summary: ....and get killed by Gibbs in the process : Tony's in LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEEE, yet the woman of his dreams doesn't know it yet. will he pluck up the courage?
1. Chapter 1

Abby Sciuto, I've fallen in love with you.

_If only it was that easy._

-

Tony DiNozzo had a predicament. How _do_ you tell your _best_ friend that you've fallen for them. And not in a I think I might like you more than I think way. In a I've fallen head over heels, body, mind and soul in love with you way. And he had no chance of falling out of love anytime soon.

-

_Damn Gibbs and his rule twelve_

It was a rainy sunday night, and once again, Tony was sat on his couch, lost in thought. He had put one of his favourite James Bond movies on – The Spy who loved me, but instead of lusting over the Bond girl on screen, Tony's thoughts drifted to a certain lab tech in a mini-skirt and platform boots_._ His feelings for the goth had strengthened over time, not lessened as he thought. He didn't allow himself to be alone with her anymore, not trusting himself to blurt something out or jump her. Recently, his mind had been warming to the idea of telling her, or someone, how he felt about her. His first thought had been Ziva. She was a woman, she could give him a female perspective. But she would also never let him live it down – the great bachelor Tony DiNozzo had fallen in love. With his best friend, no less. For a second he considered McGee – but instantly dismissed it. He knew Abby and McGee had had a thing back when McGee had first been attached to the team, and he was sure McGee still had feelings for the lab tech. Jenny had helped him before when he had needed advice relationship wise – but he couldn't see her condoning a relationship with someone at NCIS, especially because of the way she and Gibbs had ended. Gibbs, _aha._ No. Freakin'. Way. Which left Ducky – the obvious choice. He hesitated though. Ducky was like a grandfather to Abby, and would probably not approve. So he put it all off _again._ He had been trying for two weeks, and yet again, he had stopped outside the doors to autopsy, and then turned on his heel.

Maybe he'd do it tomorrow.

-

Abby reclined further in the tub and let her thoughts drift back to the previous week. Tony was acting _weird._ He barely spent any time in her lab anymore, and if he was, it was only because he was with Gibbs, Ziva or McGee. Before, he would just come down and hang out instead of doing paperwork like the others. Now, Abby saw more of Gibbs than she did Tony. Gibbs too, had noticed how Tony no longer spent as much time in the lab as he normally did, but had assured her it was just 'DiNozzo being DiNozzo' and that she had done nothing wrong. So what _was_ up with Tony?


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs was busy sanding his boat, but his thoughts kept drifting back to his team. He kept remembering Abby's forlorn face as she had asked him if he had seen Tony and then explained that he had spent barely any time down there in two weeks. When she had mentioned it, he had cast his mind back as well, and realised how absentminded his senior agent had been lately. Whenever he had a free second, DiNozzo's eyes seemed to glaze over as he appeared to transport to a whole other world. When called or slapped upside the head he appeared disorientated or surprised to find them all staring at him. Gibbs had just assumed that DiNozzo had yet another woman who was causing him to zone out at work. Lately it had been quiet, case-wise, and they had been doing back to back cold cases and paperwork from cases of the previous month, and he hadn't realised just how much work DiNozzo had done. When Abby had mentioned it, Gibbs had looked it up on the network and found that DiNozzo had finished all of his catch-up paperwork, and was going through cold cases, looking for discrepancies. He had done more work than Ziva and Tim put together, and didn't look like he was about to stop. Gibbs wanted to think this was a good thing – but he had a deep sense of unease about his senior agent's sudden efficiency. There was a reason for it, and he wanted to find out what.

-

Ziva was well aware what was wrong with her partner. She was, after all, trained to observe. Tony was in love. More in love than when he had fallen for Jeanne. This was deeper – something he would never walk away from. Would never give up on. And this week, evidence had come to light that had made Ziva almost sure she knew who the 'lucky' girl was.

_Abby._

She had complained that Tony had been practically ignoring her – and Ziva now knew why.

_He didn't trust himself to be around her. Not without saying or doing something he shouldn't._

Sometimes she just delighted in being able to read her partner like a book.

-

McGee knew there was something up with Tony. There had been for weeks. And Abby seemed upset and quieter than usual. There was something going on that _he_ didn't know about, and that surprised him. He wasn't Timothy McGee for nothing. Or more likely Thom. E. Gemcity. He had studied his co-workers for years before he had enough to embark on his literary adventure, and could now tell their mood by a slight change in their behaviour. The only one he struggled with was Gibbs. Now he was hard to read. The man was an enigma. Abby had recently been frowning a lot – meaning she had guy troubles.


	3. Chapter 3

Monday.

Today was the day. Tony felt it when he woke up. Today he would tell Ducky that he had fallen for Abby, and ask the advice of the older gentleman. Also, he hoped to gain an insight into just how angry Gibbs would be if and when he found out how Tony felt about the woman he considered his daughter. First chance he got, when Gibbs went for coffee, Tony slipped away from his desk and hurried to autopsy before his nerve got the better of him. Once again, he stopped outside the doors to autopsy, arguing with the voice in his own head – the one that sounded a hell of a lot like Gibbs.

"The reason you hesitate, Tony, is because you are standing outside the wrong door," said a voice from behind him. He whipped around to see Ziva standing in the now open elevator, leaning against one of the open doors so it would not shut.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused by what his partner was saying.

"I believe you should get in this elevator, cross the squad room, enter the other elevator, go down two floors, and walk straight ahead," she said.

"But that's the lab. Why would I want to go to the lab?"

"You tell me," Ziva said, with the air of knowing more than what she was saying.

"Ziv?"

"Tony, I have watched your inner struggle for weeks. I know it is unlike me to say this; but it is time to stop fighting, yes?" she asked, and her expression softened, "I am sure she returns you ardour, and if only you would stop beating about the tree, you would find that out for yourself."

"Bush, Zee-vah. Beating around the bush," Tony retorted, shocked at how she had guessed his feelings.

"Go, Tony. I will cover for you. Gibbs will be detained in the squad room. This is your chance – take it," she said, and indicated he should step into the elevator.

Surprisingly, he did.

Ziva had to practically drag his reluctant feet across the squad room, glad that Gibbs had not yet returned, and shoved him in the elevator. She joined him and hit the button for Abby's lab.

"I'm not so sure about this, Ziv," Tony muttered.

Ziva glanced at him. He did look pale.

"You will be fine, Tony," she said. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Ziva grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the doorway of the lab. She shoved him in, made sure Abby saw him and then legged it.


	4. Chapter 4

Abby beamed when she saw Tony and pelted at him. He braced himself to accommodate her tall form as she hit him at fall force. She delighted in the way he caught her.

"TONY! I missed you!" she squealed and gave him a squeeze of death. She beamed at him.

"So, what brings you down here?" she asked, and wriggled against him. He let out a gasp and she frowned. She wriggled again and he gasped again. She could feel his arousal pressed against her.

"Tony?!"

"Yeah, Abs?" he asked, a flush high on his cheeks.

"What, uh, what's got you all, uh, hot and um, bothered?"

"Iloveyou," he suddenly blurted out.

"Whaat?" she cried.

"I love you," he said, more slowly.

She beamed and pressed her lips to his. He pulled back and said, "Abs?"

"I love you too, Tony. Always have, always will,"

Tony's face split into a grin and this time he initiated the kiss. She deepened it and pushed her tongue into his eager mouth.

A throat was cleared from the doorway. They broke apart and Abby whirled around, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw it was Ziva.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Gibbs is on the warpath. Thought I'd better stop you before he caught you blue-handed,"

"It's red handed, Zee-vah!" Tony said, and smirked, before following his partner out of the room, managing to sneak a quick goodbye kiss from his girl.

In the elevator ride up, Ziva turned to him and said, "And how do you feel now?"

He beamed at her, "On top of the world. Thank-you,"

"For what?"

"Pushing me to do that. Covering my ass for me. And coming to get me just now."

"No problem, Tony. That is what partners are for, are they not?"

"Not just partners, Zee. You're one of my best friends. No jokes. It wouldn't be the same without you here."

She smiled back and squeezed his hand.

"Well, now we're done with this tender moment, some work would be nice?" snapped a pissed off Gibbs, framed in the now open doors of the elevator.

"Jeez, what got up you?" Tony asked, then quickly said, "Shutting up, boss," before dragging Ziva into the squadroom. Gibbs stepped into the now empty elevator and went down to Abby's lab.


	5. Chapter 5

-

She was hunched over her computer keyboard, and he called out to her when he entered.

"Abs?"

She whirled around, her makeup smeared, tears running down her face.

"Abs?!" he cried, rushing forward.

"Happy tears, Gibbs. Happy tears. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. Just came down to see you. No cases."

"And then when we get one, you'll be complaining about the long hours. You just can't satisfy Leroy Jethro Gibbs, can you?"

"I dunno, Abs,"

"I think the four wives answers that."

Back in the squadroom, McGee had picked up that DiNozzo had a ridiculous smile on his face, and he kept laughing out loud. Before McGee could ask, Tony picked up the phone and punched in a few digits.

"Hey, stranger," he said.

"Hey, yourself," Abby's voice chirped back.

"Am I on speaker?"

"Nope, you may speak freely."

"How about dinner tonight? I'll pick you up at eight?"

"Love to."

"Great. I'll see you later, baby. I love you."

"I love you too," she replied, and blew kisses down the phone.

McGee stared at Tony. Here was _DiNozzo_ declaring his love for someone on the _phone._ Ziva was concentrating on her work, but the corners of her mouth were turned upwards.

Back in the lab, Gibbs smiled at the joy on Abby's face.

"So, I guess the end of that conversation would be the good news you just heard?"

"Yes."

"You gonna elaborate?"

"Maybe."

"Abs, since when was I the one getting _you_ to talk?"

"Since this-guy-that-I've-loved-for-ever-and-ever-told-me-he-loved-me-back-and-kissed-me-and-made-my-spine-go-all-tingly-and-i-had-fireworks-in-my-head-and-now-he's-asked-me-out-to-dinner-and-im-so-excited!"

"Now that's more like the Abby I know! This guy have a name?"

"Yes."

"Abs..?!"

"You can meet him soon."

"I know him, don't I? That's why you won't tell me his name!"

"Yep,"

"It's not McGee, is it?"

"Nope. Now stop guessing Gibbs and leave me to get on with processing this evidence!"

"Abby, we don't have a case! You don't have any evidence to process!"

"Gibbs, stop harassing me. I will introduce you to him at some point. Names aren't important."

"Ok, Abs," he said, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I'm glad you found someone, but you'll always be _my_ girl," he added, making the sign against her cheek. She smiled and squeezed his hand, and watched him walk out of the lab.


	6. Chapter 6

Gibbs waited in the hallway outside the lab and waited until Abby left to go to the bathroom. He snuck into her office and picked up her phone, dialling 1471 (A/N: I don't know if this exists in America. It's a service you can ring to find out the number of the last person who called you.)

_You were called at 10.30 AM, today, by #9 547. To return the call press 5. For other options, press 3._

Gibbs glared at the phone. #9. Internal number. Abby was involved with a co-worker. He pressed five.

It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

And finally picked up.

"Hey gorgeous, you miss me already?" asked a _very_ familiar voice. Gibbs slammed the phone down just as Abby ambled back into the lab. Gibbs was so angry he could punch something. Preferably Italian and DiNozzo shaped. He kicked the leg of her desk.

"Hey!" Abby cried, coming into her office, "Whatever's pissed you off, don't take it out on my furniture!"

"DINOZZO!?" he yelled.

Abby gulped. Judging by his anger, exclamation and proximity to her _recently_ broken phone, he had dialled 1471. They stared at each other, Gibbs daring her to break his gaze and spill everything, but she was glaring back defiantly.

"Hey, baby, you just called me?" Tony asked, as he came up behind her and kissed her exposed neck. He glanced up and saw his boss.

_Shiiit_.

Gibbs stood next to Abby's desk, looking like he was about to blow up with anger. More importantly, next to Abby's _phone_.

Which was broken.

_Double shit. It was GIBBS who had called!_

Tony finally met Gibbs' baby blues, which had gone almost black with anger.

"Uh, if it helps, we haven't had sex," he felt himself mutter.

_Why, DiNozzo, why? Why would you say that?_

"Yet," Abby muttered, but Gibbs picked up on it.

"Why?" he finally managed to get out without killing Tony, a feat he was quite proud of.

"I love her, Gibbs. I've loved her since forever, I can't not be with her any longer."

"I love him too, Gibbs."

"You do realize I could have your job for this, DiNozzo?!" Gibbs said through gritted teeth.

"Yep. Abby's worth more to me than this job, boss."

Gibbs glared and advanced on them. Abby took a step back and walked into Tony, who stood his ground, looking defiantly at Gibbs.

"You hurt her, DiNozzo. Even the littlest thing like forgetting an anniversary, I'll kill you, you got that?"

Tony nodded as Abby breathed a sigh of relief. As far as Gibbs went, this was his blessing.


End file.
